Cranberry Walnut Bread
Sweet and tender, studded with dried cranberries and walnuts, this Dutch Oven Cranberry Walnut Bread is one of the easiest ways to make homemade bread. No kneading, no proofing--just mix, rise, and bake! It is the perfect base for sandwiches, breakfast casseroles, or just to eat toasted.
Servings: 16 slices
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour ~360 grams
- 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ chopped walnuts
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ cups luke warm water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, yeast, salt, cranberries, and walnuts. Add in water and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set in a draft-free spot to rise undisturbed for 12-18 hours.
- After the proofing time has passed, turn the dough out onto parchment paper sprinkled lightly with flour and quickly shape into a circle. It will be sticky, so you may want to flour your hands as well. And try not to overwork the dough--just a rustic circle is all you are going for. Let the dough rest while the oven preheats.
- Place the dutch oven fitted with its lid in the oven. Preheat to 450℉ (230℃). (Let the pan preheat in the oven.)
- Once the pan is preheated, carefully remove it from the oven and then carefully place the prepared dough into the pan and cover with the lid. If using parchment paper that is safe up to 450℉ (230℃), you can simply pick up the parchment paper and place it into the Dutch oven. If you don't have parchment paper, just place the bread dough directly into the Dutch oven. DO NOT USE wax paper or a silicone baking sheet.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
Flour: Use all-purpose or white whole wheat flour. To measure the flour, weigh out 360 grams or scoop the flour with a spoon and place it in a measuring cup. This will ensure you don't use too much flour.
Nuts: Feel free to omit the walnuts from this bread to make it nut-free or swap out walnuts for pecans if desired.
Yeast: Be sure to use regular yeast, not quick-rise yeast, and be sure your yeast is not expired.
Note on Bread Sticking: If your Dutch oven pan is good-quality, you should have no issue with this dough sticking to the pan. However, some people have reported this issue. To prevent this from happening, use parchment paper, or be sure to dust your bread with flour before transferring the bread dough to the pan. I don't recommend greasing the pan, as the oil can burn at the high temperature the bread is baked at.
Storage: Once fully cooled, store bread in a sealed container or bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. This bread can also be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped in plastic wrap, then foil, and then placed into a freezer-safe bag.
Pan: Anywhere from a 3.5- to a 6-quart Dutch oven with a lid will work to bake this bread. I use a 4.5-quart myself.
Baking at a high altitude? Check out these adjustments that you may need to follow.
Nutrition
Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
